A fastener used to fasten various members serves several purposes. The fastener will allow the fastening of the pair of members to be hidden behind the exteriors of the members to give the connection a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. The hidden fastener will also allow a quicker, less cumbersome connection, while at the same time form a stable connection. The connection will also allow for a member to be replaced without the need of replacing any other fastener or members. One illustrative application of the hidden fastener is fastening a fence picket and fence rail together.
Several methods for fastening fence pickets to fence rails currently exist. One method is welding the fence picket to the fence rail. Another is by connecting the fence rail and the fence picket to a common base structure.
One embodiment of the hidden fastener is made of plastic. This hidden fastener embodiment allows a generally vertical fence picket to be fastened to a generally horizontal fence rail. The configuration of this hidden fastener allows it to be received through an opening in a fence picket such that the hidden fastener and fence picket are connected. This embodiment also has a feature allowing the fence rail to be connected to the hidden fastener. With the hidden fastener already connected to the fence picket, the connection between the hidden fastener and the fence rail fastens the fence picket to the fence rail.
Another embodiment of the hidden fastener has a cylindrical peg having ridges. This cylindrical peg is shaped to fit into a circular opening existing in a fence picket. It is appreciated that various shapes of pegs may exist to fit into correspondingly-shaped openings in a fence picket, such as square or triangular, for example. This hidden fastener embodiment further comprises a wedge such that the wedge is attached to the cylindrical peg, allowing the fence picket to receive a desired portion of the cylindrical peg through the opening. The wedge also serves to secure the fence rail such that the generally horizontal fence rail and the generally vertical fence picket are fastened to each other. The fence rail may have an opening, allowing it to receive a fence picket. This configuration allows the fence picket to be received a desired portion before the wedge fastens the fence picket to the fence rail.
Additional embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention.